Power-transmitting device.



PATENTED MAR. 22, 1904.

W. R. SMITH. V POWER TRANSMITTING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 18, 1903.

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mom-Irma. WASHING 'No. 755,066. PATENTED MAR. 22, 1904.

' W. R. SMITH.

POWER TRANSMITTING DEVICE.

- APPLICATION FILED JULY 18,1903. no MODEL. V 2 snnms-snnm 2.

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Patented March 2:2, 1904.

.UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM E. SMITH, or BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

POWER-TRANSMITTING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 755,066, dated March22, 1904.

I Application filed July 18, 1903- Serial No. 166,120. (No model.)

To all whom it wtayconcern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM B. SMITH, of

Buffalo, in the county of "Erie and State of New York, have inventedcertain new and use- I ful Improvements in Power-Transmitting Devices,of which the following is a specification.

This invention has for its object to provide a simple and eflicientmeans for yieldingly connecting two members of a power-trans mittingdevice, such as a driving-pulley and the shaft upon which the pulley ismounted, in such manner as to prevent a severe shock on the mechanismwhen the members are positively connected, it being my object to enablethe connection of the said members to he graduated by an air-cushion,which is compressed by the connection of the members and establishes ayielding connection between the two until time is afforded for the speedof the driven member to approximate that of the driving member before apositive connection is established between the two members.

The invention consists in the improvements which 'I will now proceed todescribe and claim.

Of the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification,Figure 1 represents a sectional elevation of a power-transmitting deviceembodying my invention. Fig. 2 represents a sectionon line 2 2 ofFig. 1. Figs. 3 and 4: represent views similar to Fig. 2, showing theparts in different positions. Figs. 5 and 6 represent side views of thetwo principal parts or sections of the device shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3,and 1, Fig. 7 represents a section on line 7 7 of Fig. 5. Fig. 8represents a section on line 8 8 of Fig. 6. Fig. 9 represents a sectionon line 9 9 of Fig. 1.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all thefigures.

In the drawings, a represents a shaft to which rotary motion is to beapplied.

6 represents a part or section of my improved power-transmittingmechanism, the said section I) beingformed in this embodiment of myinvention as a pulley mounted loosely on the shaft a and provided with apower-receiving portion, here shown as a rim 2, adapted to support adriving-belt, and a hub 3, bearing onthe shaft to. The rim 2 isconnected with the hub by any suitable con-- necting devices, which mayconsist of spokes 4. A portion of the rim 2 projects from one side ofthe line of spokes 4, its inner surface 5 constituting the outer wall ofa segmental air-chamber 0.

6 represents a web which projects inwardly from the rim 2 and is or maybe cast with the spokes 1, said web forming one side of the airchamber0.

7 represents a head or abutment which is afliXed to the web 6'and to theportion of the rim having the surface 5, said head being preferablysecured by means of screws 8, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1,although, if desired, it may be cast integral with the web and rim. Thehead 7 extends across that portion of the rim which forms the outer sideof the air-chamber, the said head constituting one end of theair-chamber.

d represents another part or section of my improved power-transmittingdevice. The section cZ comprises a hub 9,which bears loosely upon theshaft (0 beside the hub 3, a web 10, which projects outwardly from thehub, its outer margin bearing against the inner surface of the rim 2,and an annular rim orflange 12, which projects from one side of the web10 and bears upon the inner portion of the web 6. The portion of the web10. which projects outwardly from the flange 12 constitutes one of thesides of the air-chamber 0, while the flange 12 constitutes the innerside of said air-chamber.

It will be seen from the foregoing that the rim 2, the webs 6 and 10,and the flange 12' constitute the longitudinal walls of a continuousannular chamber. The continuity of said chamber is interrupted by thehead 7, which, as already stated, constitutes one end of theair-chamber, and by a similar head 13,

which is affixed, preferably by screws 14, to the web 10 and flange12 ofthe section d.

The sections 6 and d are rotatable independently of each other, theouter edges of the web 10 and flange 12 being in rubbing contact,respectively, with the rim 2 and web 6. The joint formed by said edgesis preferably made approximately air-tight by means of packing-strips 1515, inserted in grooves in the heads of the webs l0 and flange 12, saidpacking-strips being of any suitable comprlessible material, eithermetallic or non-meta lie.

16 represents a spring which is attached at its ends to the hubs 3 and 9and is arranged so that it normally holds the two sections abovedescribed in the position shown in Fig. 2, the backs of the heads orabutments 7 and 13 being in contact with each other, so that theair-chamber c is extended to its maximum length.

The section (Z is provided with a clutch member, here shown as clutchingears or wings 17 17, formed on and projecting outwardly from the web 10.

18 represents a complemental clutch member which is adapted to slideupon the shaft a and is rotatively engaged therewith by means of aspline 19, the said clutch member 18 being formed to engage the clutchmember 17 when moved toward the latter by a suitable shifting device.(Not shown.)

\Vhen the clutch members 17 and 18 are disengaged, the sections 6 and clrotate loosely upon the shaft (1, said sections being held by the spring16 in the relative positions shown in Fig. 2, the air-chamber, as abovestated, being extended to its maximum length. Vhen the clutch member 18is moved into engagement with the clutch member 17, the rotary movementof the section (I is arrested or retarded, so that the head or abutment7 on the constantly-moving section I) moves away from the head orabutment 13 on the section (Z, as indicated in Fig. 3, thus shorteningthe airchambcr and causing the compression of the air therein. Theair-cushion thus formed acts to yieldingly impart motion from thesection I) to the section d and to the shaft (0, the rapidity of themovement thus imparted increasing with the-compression of the air, butbeing in all cases gradual or free from sudden shock. The compression ofthe air continues until a suflicient quantity escapes to permit the head7 to overtake the head 13, as indicated in Fig. 4, so that the head 7 ispositively engaged with the head 13 and imparts positive movement to thesection (Z and shaft (1. The escape of air from the air-chamber whilethe air is under compression, as above .described, may be through a vent20, which may be adjustable to regulate the rapidity of the escape. Thesaid vent is preferably a screw inserted in a tapped orifice in the web6 and having anair-passage 21 extending from the head nearly to theinner end of the screw, said inner end being surrounded by a countersunkcavity formed in one surface of the web 6. By adjusting the screw sothat more or less of the air-passage projects into the cavity theescape-of air fromthe air-chamber may be regulated.

22 22 represent collars which are aiflxed to the shaft (6 to preventendwise displacement of the sections 7) and d.

It will be seen that while the starting of the driven part or member isgradual and free from shock its engagement with the driving member ispositive after the full load has been taken up, so that there is nopossibility of slip between the driving and driven members.

I do not limit myself to the form and con struction of the essentialparts here shown, as the same may be variously modified withoutdeparting from the spirit of my invention. It is obvious that thepower-receiving portion of the section I) may constitute the toothedperiphery of a gear-wheel instead of being formed to engage adrivingbelt, 01' power may be imparted to the driving member in anyother suitable way.

I claim 1. A power-transmitting device comprising a plurality ofrotatable sections collectively forming a eontractible air-chamber, andmeans carried by one section to limit the independent rotation of theother section to contract the chamber and form a cushion of compressedair therein.

2. A power-transmitting device comprising a plurality of rotatablesections collectively forming a eontractible air-chamber, and meanscarried by one section to limit the independent rotation of the othersection said chamber having a restricted air vent or outlet to permitthe gradual escape of air from said chamber.

3. A power-transmitting device comprising two rotary sectionscollectively forming a contractible air-chamber, said sections havingheads or abutments which compress the air in said chamber and meet topositively engage the sections.

4. A power-transmitting device comprising two rotatable sectionscollectively forming a eontractible air-chamber, one section carryingmeans to limit independent rotary movement of the other, one of saidsections having a power-receiving portion and theother a clutch member,and a complemental clutch member movable into and out of engagement withthe first-mentioned clutch member.

5. A power-transmitting device comprising two rotary sectionscollectively forming a contractible air-chamber, said sections havingair-compressing heads or abutments forming opposed ends of theair-chamber, and means for yieldingly holding said sections in positionto extend the air-chamber.

6. A power-transmitting device comprising, first, a section having ahub, a rim concentric with the hub, a web projecting inwardly from therim, and a head or abutment extending crosswise of the rim; secondly,another section having ahub, aweb projecting outwardly therefrom, anannular flange projecting from one side of the web, a head or abutmentextending crosswise of the annular flange, and a IIO clutch memberprojecting from the opposite side of the web, said rim, webs, annularflange, and abutments forming a segmental compressible air-chamber ofwhich the abutments are the ends, a spring connecting the two sectionsand yieldingly holding them in position to extend the air-chamber;thirdly, a shaft on which the hubs of said sections are loosely rotatable; and fourthly, a clutch member rotatively engaged with the shaftand movable IO into and out of engagement with the firstmentioned clutchmember. 1

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature in presence of twowitnesses.

WILLIAM B. SMITH.

Witnesses: V

Tnos. H. NOONAN, CHARLES J. STAPLES.

